In order to apply with the CQC to be a Registered Manager, Partner, or Individual Provider, an Enhanced DBS check from within the last 12 months is required.
Without this, your CQC application will be returned, so it’s a must-have. But if you don’t have an Enhanced DBS check already, how should you go about getting one? There are a couple of methods, which we’ll cover in this post.
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Why are CQC DBS Checks required?
DBS checks are a legal requirement for working with under-18s and/or “Vulnerable Adults” – a term referring to adults in receipt of care or treatment. Even if you won’t personally be providing care or healthcare, you must also get a DBS check if you will be managing staff who themselves provide it.
When considering applications for the roles below, the CQC needs to see a DBS check in order to assess the applicant’s character, and to ensure they are not barred from working with vulnerable groups.
- Individual Provider
- Registered Partner
- Registered Manager
Which level of CQC DBS Check is needed?
The CQC will need to be shown an Enhanced DBS Check with one or both of the Barred List checks. They will not accept Standard or Basic DBS checks, or Enhanced checks that don’t contain the required Barred List information.
The Barred Lists
The DBS maintains two Barred Lists, the Children’s Barred List and the Adults’ Barred List. The former is a database of individuals who may not work with under-18s, while the latter contains all individuals barred from working with Vulnerable Adults.
If you already have a DBS check from within the last 12 months, it must be an Enhanced Certificate, and it must contain the results of a Barred List check for whichever of the two groups you’ll be working with. If you intend to get a new certificate, make sure you request the relevant Barred List checks!
CQC-CE-DBS Checks
I’m not a registered professional
If you aren’t a registered health professional, you’ll need to apply for your DBS check via the CQC’s website. This allows the CQC to conduct extra checks of their own, helping them to confirm your identity. These are known as CQC-CE-DBS checks, and you can begin your application by following the link below:
CQC-CE-DBS Check Online Application
I am a registered professional
If you are a registered healthcare professional, you still need to show an Enhanced DBS certificate for your application, but it doesn’t need to be a CQC-CE-DBS check. Registration with the organisations below involves a level of ID check sufficient to meet the CQC’s standards:
- General Dental Council
- General Medical Council
- General Pharmaceutical Council
- Health and Care Professions Council
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
How to get a DBS Check for yourself
In most cases, it’s not possible to apply for a DBS check for yourself, as they can only be requested by an organisation, on behalf of a member of staff. If you’re in the position where you don’t need a special CQC DBS Check, but you still need to apply for a new DBS check for your application, you’ve still got options.
If your business is already registered, you can simply use the services of an Umbrella Body (such as Aaron’s Department) to get the check for yourself, the same way you would for any other employee. An Umbrella Body is an organisation that processes DBS applications, since the DBS don’t accept Standard or Enhanced applications directly.
About Aaron’s Department
If you’re looking for an Umbrella Body to get your DBS check with, that’s our business! We’ll quickly go over some of the benefits of getting your DBS checks with Aaron’s Department:
- Our error-proof system identifies mistakes in real-time, giving users the chance to fix them – incorrect details can lead to the DBS rejecting applications, so we’ve designed a system to avoid that happening!
- Our 3-step, registration process is fast and free – you could have your DBS results within hours of signing up.
- Extremely competitive admin fees – get your Enhanced DBS certificate for just £10.95 in admin fees.
- Built-in tracking system for easy monitoring of your applications’ progress.
- Free DBS fast-track: every check we receive before 4:00pm on a weekday is checked, countersigned, and sent on to the DBS the very same day. The faster we do that, the faster you get your check back.
- Knowledgeable & experienced customer support, along with expert eligibility guidance.
If you need some DBS guidance, simply give us a call on 0113 877 0171, or drop us an email at contact@aaronsdepartment.com, and we’ll do our best to help you with any questions you may have. Alternatively, use the buttons below to register your business with us!
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Further Reading
If you’ve found our page “” useful, we’ve linked a few more below which might come in handy:
- Are DBS Checks transferrable?
- Getting Digital ID Checks for staff
- CQC DBS Checks – A guide to the CQC’s requirements
About The Author
Matthew Dugdale
Matthew is our go-to when it comes to all things related to Recruitment & DBS checks. His experience and expertise helps make sure that everyone gets the correct level of check.